The Departments of Health and Wellness and Social Development in the Western Cape are preparing for an urgent application to interdict Nehawu’s strike action which has crippled health and other critical services.
Spokesperson for the provincial Department of Health, Mark van der Heever, confirmed that the urgent application would be filed at the Labour Court on Thursday or Friday.
He said the continued strike action affected the safety of patients and staff and was an infringement of their right to access health-care services.
The move by the provincial departments comes as national Minister of Health Joe Phaahla told the media in Johannesburg on Wednesday night that lives had been lost due to the strike.
The Labour Court was also expected to hand down a ruling on Friday on Nehawu’s appeal against the interdict.
Civil servants affiliated to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) have been on strike since Monday across the country despite a court interdict obtained by the government which barred the action.
The union is demanding a salary increase of between 10 and 12% while the government is offering an increase of 4.7%.
The Western Cape Department of Health said that since the start of the week incidents of protest led by Nehawu had disrupted services mainly in the Khayelitsha area.
Health facilities affected included the Michael Mapongwana Clinic and Khayelitsha District Hospital.
Van der Heever said although no damage was caused to buildings, critical patients were transferred to other facilities such as Helderberg, Tygerberg, Mitchells Plain and Karl Bremer hospitals.
On Tuesday and Wednesday protesters disrupted services and blocked staff from entering Khayelitsha District Hospital, according to Van der Heever, while at Karl Bremer and Tygerberg hospitals protests were described as peaceful and no interruption in service delivery.
However, on Thursday services resumed with no diversions in place although protests continued outside the two facilities in Khayelitsha.
“We continue to strengthen security to ensure the safety of our patients and we urge everyone to be vigilant.
“We are monitoring the situation closely with the assistance of SAPS and other law enforcement agencies and LEAP officers," said Van der Heever.
The strike has affected other departments, including Home Affairs and Social Development, and other hospitals countrywide.
The Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) has urged labour and government to engage in a mediation process to end the strike.
Nehawu provincial secretary Baxolile Mali was locked in a Cosatu meeting and could not provide a comment.
Weekend Argus